Cooling device for the wheel of a continuous casting machine

Abstract

A cooling device for the wheel of a continuous casting machine, which has an annular header disposed internally to the casting ring of the wheel and a plurality of spray nozzles arranged on the header for spraying jets of cooling fluid onto the casting ring and comprises elements for separating the cooling fluid stream, distributed in the space between the inner peripheral surface of the casting ring and the header. The elements define with the peripheral surface and with the header a plurality of independant cooling sections each of which comprises at least one spray nozzle. The separator elements each have at least surfaces close to the peripheral surface of the casting ring and oriented so as to diverge the stream of cooling fluid into directions having opposite components transverse to the circumferential direction of flow of the cooling fluid on the peripheral surface of the casting ring during the rotation of the casting ring.

I claim: 
     
       1. A cooling device for a continuous casting machine of the wheel and belt type having a casting wheel comprising a casting ring thereon defining with said belt a mold for the metal to be cast, the device comprising an annular header arranged internally to said casting ring, a plurality of spray nozzles arranged on said header for spraying cooling fluid onto the internal peripheral surface of said casting ring, cooling fluid guiding and separating elements arranged in spaced relationship in the space between said internal peripheral surface of said casting ring and said header and defining with said peripheral surface and said header a plurality of independent cooling sections each including at least one of said spray nozzles, said elements each comprising a metal sheet member connected at one end to said header and shaped at the other end so as to perfectly match with said internal peripheral surface of said casting ring, said sheet member having one face arranged to feed the sprayed cooling fluid substantially circumferentially onto said internal peripheral surface and an opposite face having portions arranged to diverge the oncoming stream of heated cooling fluid fed by upstream arranged spray nozzles into directions having opposite components transverse to the circumferential direction of flow of the cooling fluid on said internal peripheral surface of said casting ring. 
     
     
       2. A cooling device for a continuous casting machine of the wheel and belt type having a casting wheel comprising a casting ring thereon defining with said belt a mold for the metal to be cast, the device comprising an annular header arranged internally to said casting ring, a plurality of spray nozzles arranged on said header for spraying cooling fluid onto the internal peripheral surface of said casting ring, cooling fluid guiding and separating elements arranged in spaced relationship in the space between said internal peripheral surface of said casting ring and said header and defining with said peripheral surface and said header a plurality of independent cooling sections each including at least one of said spray nozzles, said elements each comprising a metal sheet member connected at one end to said header and shaped at the other end so as to perfectly match with said internal peripheral surface of said casting ring, said sheet member having one face arranged to feed the sprayed cooling fluid substantially circumferentially onto said internal peripheral surface and an opposite face arranged to remove the heated cooling fluid originating from the spray nozzles arranged upstream and circumferentially flowing on said internal peripheral surface of said casting ring, wherein said sheet member comprises a plate having a substantially V-shaped cross-section with the vertex thereof facing the oncoming cooling fluid stream. 
     
     
       3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said elements are mounted inclined with respect to said internal peripheral surface such that the face arranged to remove the heated fluid forms an acute angle with said inner peripheral surface of said casting ring, and the face arranged to feed the cold fluid ejected by the spray nozzles forms an obtuse angle with said inner peripheral surface. 
     
     
       4. A device as claimed in claim 2, comprising cooling fluid guiding and separating elements hinged at one end to said header and resilient means for pressing said elements against said inner peripheral surface of said casting ring.